A few other points to consider:  brushing, nail trimming, and teeth brushing should be done on a regular basis.  Brushing and
dental care should be done once a week minimum.  Nail trimming should be done regularly, the amount of time between nail
trims will depend largely on your individual dog.  Exercise, diet, and genetic makeup play a large role in nail growth.  The best
rule of thumb--if you can hear your dog's nails click on a hard surface as they walk, the nails are too long!  Nails that are too
long are very uncomfortable, if not painful, for a dog.  You should also keep a close eye on the hair in between the pads of the
feet, and trim that hair anytime it's long enough to touch the bottoms of the pads.
How many dog shampoos would you feel comfortable doing THIS with?  Vanessa's Dog Shampoo is free of harsh
chemicals, and is gentle enough that a baby can participate in bath time!  Please be aware that the dog pictured
here is owned and trained by a professional.  Vanessa's Dog Shampoo does not recommend placing a small child
in a bathing situation with a dog that is not under complete control of the owner.
Vanessa's Dog Shampoo
Formulated with your dog's well-being in mind.
How to Bathe Your Dog at Home
We know it all seems rather
elementary, but there are a few
tips and tricks we can give to
help you get the most out of
your dog's bath time when
bathing at home.  Remember
that if your dog has a coat that
requires regular professional
grooming, it's best to only bathe
your dog if they get into
something yucky or do a lot of
swimming.  One bath every six
to eight weeks is plenty for
some dogs, most dogs will
require even less.  Too much
bathing is really hard on a dog's
skin and coat.  Questions?  Call
770-712-0093 or Email Us
 Make sure you have everything you need for bathing and after bath
care before you begin.  Some of the things you will need include:  
Vanessa's Dog Shampoo in the formula of your choice, a Zoom Groom
or other curry-comb type brush, towels, a hair dryer, plain mineral oil
(not scented "baby oil") and an eye dropper, cotton balls, ear
flushing/drying solution, nail trimmers (preferably the "plier" type versus
the "guillotine" type),  a comb and/or a slicker-type brush, a large plastic
pitcher if you don't have a detachable shower head nozzle (which is
absolutely your best bet), a toothbrush designed for dogs, and dog
toothpaste.
Be prepared to spend at least an hour of uninterrupted time with your
dog in the bathing area.  You will need to ignore the phone, the TV,
family members, and other distractions during this time.  Your bathing
area can be your bathroom, a mudroom sink if your dog is of the toy
variety, or your deck or patio with a water hose on a summer day.  
Plastic wading pools and a garden hose can make a great impromptu
"garden tub" on a hot day.  (Take a look at the picture on the bottom of
this page.)
Gather all your supplies and take them to the bathing area before you
take your dog in.  If your dog is typically resistant to getting a bath, you
may need to fashion a restraint with your dog's leash to keep them in the
bathing area.  NEVER leave a restrained dog unsupervised.  Be sure to
browse through the different formulas of Vanessa's Dog Shampoo to see
some of the calming aromatherapy benefits when choosing a shampoo
for a dog that doesn't dig baths.   Take your dog to the bathing area
either by leash, by carrying, or by using obedience commands, but
always in a business-like manner.  Don't hem and haw or beat around
the bush or beg and plead with your dog to enter the bathing area.  If
you're acting weird about giving a bath, your dog will act weird about
getting one.
Before bathing any dog, you should always thoroughly brush them,
removing any mats and being sure that the brush goes all the way
through the coat to the skin.  A curry-comb brush is fine for dogs with
really short hair and/or no undercoat, and a slicker brush is the best
choice for dogs with medium to long coats.  If you have any mats that
can't be removed with a slicker brush, you may need to cut them out or
schedule an appointment with a good groomer.  Once all the mats have
been removed and the dog has been thoroughly brushed, it's time to
add the water!  Now is a good time to add a leash restraint if necessary.
Use an eyedropper to add a drop or two of plain mineral oil to each eye.  
This provides a lubricating barrier against soap suds and ear cleaning
solution.  Vanessa's Dog Shampoo is alcohol-free, and won't irritate the
dog's eyes, but ear cleaners and many other dog shampoos have a high
alcohol content and will irritate your dog's eyes.  Be sure to never touch
the dropper to your dog's eyes!
Thoroughly wet the dog using a detachable shower head, a garden
hose, or a plastic pitcher.  You should never use hot water on a dog.  
Cool water is fine for most adult dogs, lukewarm to slightly warm water is
best for puppies and toy dogs.  Just like with any other cleaning project,
you want to start at the top and work your way down.  Some dogs, like
the retrievers and water dogs, have extra oil in their coats that will
require you to work the water down to the skin.  You will find the same to
be true with dogs that have very thick undercoats, like Huskies and
Akitas.
If using Vanessa's Dog Shampoo, apply one stripe of shampoo down the
dog's back, starting at the top of the head between the ears and going
all the way to the base of the tail.  Shampoos that use a lot of thickening
agents will require you to use more shampoo.  Work the shampoo into a
lather using a Zoom Groom or other curry-comb brush.  Using a curry-
comb brush helps lather the shampoo, helps guarantee that the
shampoo reaches the skin, and helps to increase circulation in the dog's
skin, creating a healthier skin and coat!  Use your fingertips to lather
around the dog's face.  If using Vanessa's Dog Shampoo, once the
shampoo touches the skin, it's doing its job!  For large or tall dogs, you
may need to add more shampoo to clean the legs, ears, and tail.
Be sure to rinse the dog thoroughly, starting with the head and working
your way down.  Vanessa's Dog Shampoo rinses easily and cleanly;
some dog shampoos are difficult to rinse away.  Any suds left on the dog
will actually create a sticky residue as the dog dries.  This residue will
actually attract dirt and dander and trap dead hairs near the skin.  Use
your hands or your curry-comb brush as a squeegee to aid in whisking
dirt and suds away.  If you see a lot of dirt in the rinse water, you may
want to repeat the shampoo and rinse cycle.  Whether you need to
repeat a lather or not, your rinse water should run clear of suds before
you stop.
Use a good flushing/drying solution in the ears to help dry the ear (to
prevent yeast infections stemming from water trapped in the ear) while
maintaining the right acidity and pH.  Ask your veterinarian or groomer
for a recommendation regarding brand.  Hold the dog's ear upright and
pour enough solution into the ear canal that it begins to overflow.  Find
the cartilage ball of your dog's ear (where the ear joins the head) and
squish all the fluid around inside the ear.  This will also loosen excess
ear wax, making it easy to flush away.  If your dog experiences any pain
during this procedure, it could be a sign of an infection that you will want
to consult with your veterinarian about.  If necessary, use more solution
to flush out the loosened earwax.  Use cotton balls to swab excess
solution and loosened debris from the underside of the ear.  Allow the
dog to shake its head and further release any remaining solution from
the ear.  If your dog has a lot of hair inside the ears, make an
appointment with your groomer or veterinarian to have them pluck the
hair or show you how to do it.
Towel dry your dog and then trim the nails.  Nails that have been wet for
a bit are typically easier to trim,causing your dog less stress.  If you are
unsure of the appropriate way to trim your dog's nails, consult with your
veterinarian or groomer.  If your dog has a lot of hair in between the
pads of his feet, you will want to make sure this gets trimmed away either
by you, your groomer, or your vet.  Hair that covers the pads of the
dog's feet impedes the dog's traction and can lead to muscular and
skeletal problems due to overcompensation patterns.
Brush your dog's teeth using a dog toothbrush and dog toothpaste.  
Never use human toothpaste on a dog!  Dogs aren't physically capable
of spitting, so you must use a toothpaste that is safe for dogs to
swallow.  Consult with your veterinarian regarding proper brushing
techniques if necessary.  
If your dog will tolerate a hair dryer, use one on a cool setting (warm for
puppies and toy dogs) to finish drying your dog.  This will create "loft" in
your dog's coat, increasing air circulation to the skin.  Move the dryer
around continuously and quickly so as not to irritate your dog's skin.  
Dogs with thick hair and undercoats and dogs with Poodle-type coats will
also benefit from being back-brushed at this time.  Brush the hair against
the direction it normally lays to further encourage loft, speed drying time,
and help release any remaining dead hair from the coat.
It is always best to allow a professional groomer to handle any cutting
and clipping of your dog's hair.  Not only does a good groomer know how
to make your dog look fantastic, they know how to get that look while
creating the least amount of stress for your dog.  Consult with your
groomer regarding any touch-up trimming you may be able to do at
home in-between grooming appointments.